Here Are The Best Colleges In California, According To Niche

Stanford University is the best college in California, according to rankings released Monday by Niche, a college ranking and review platform.

In all, 674 colleges and universities in California were ranked as part of more than 4,000 nationwide that were named in Niche's 2026 Best Colleges in America.

According to the data, the top five colleges in California are:

1. Stanford University

• Overall Niche grade: No. 3 in nation, A+
• Acceptance rate: 4%
• SAT range: 1510-1580

2. California Institute of Technology in Pasadena

• Overall Niche grade: No. 9 in nation, A+
• Acceptance rate: 3%
• SAT range: 1530-1580

3. Harvey Mudd College in Claremont

• Overall Niche grade: No. 16 in nation, A+
• Acceptance rate: 13%
• SAT range: 1480-1560

4. University of California, Los Angeles

• Overall Niche grade: No. 20 in nation, A+
• Acceptance rate: 9%
• SAT range: not listed

5. Claremont McKenna College

• Overall Niche grade: No. 23 in nation, A=
• Acceptance rate: 11%
• SAT range: 1450-1560

Other California schools that made the top 30 nationwide included Pomona College, ranked 26th in the nation, and the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, ranked 27th. Other California schools and their rankings can be found on the Niche website here.

Niche’s rankings are based on data from the U.S. Department of Education and National Science Foundation; enrollment, graduation, and alumni earnings statistics; and more than 1 million college reviews from students and alumni. More about the methodology is found on the Niche website.

Niche also ranked the best colleges for athletics, student life, dorm life and other aspects of college life that are important to students. See more below:

2026 Best Colleges in America

1. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts
2. Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut
3. Stanford University, Stanford, California
4. Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
5. Dartmouth University, Hanover, New Hampshire

2026 Colleges with the Best Student Life in America

1. University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
2. University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia
3. University of California, Los Angeles
4. 4. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan
5. Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee

2026 Best College Athletics in America

1. University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
2. Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
3. The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama
4. University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut
5. 5. Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina

“We built Niche to help students and families cut through the noise and make informed choices,” Niche founder and CEO Luke Skurman said in a news release. “Our rankings are designed to reflect not just data, but the real voices and lived experiences of students across the country. That blend of insight is what makes Niche unique. We’re giving students the clarity to identify the colleges where they see themselves belonging and succeeding.”

• Related: Forbes Names 20 Colleges ‘New Ivies,’ Notes Employers Prefer Them